As One doubles in size and eyes a downtown location
As One, the profoundly humbling workout created by trainers Mark Merchant and George Vafiades, has built a devoted following in the year and a half since its Columbus Circle studio opened.
This weekend Merchant and Vafiades are packing up the kettlebells and sandbags and moving around the corner to a new studio more than twice the size of the original. The 3,500-square-foot space features private bathrooms and showers (though don’t expect Equinox facilities; there will be just one shower for men and one for women), as well as enough space to run simultaneous classes.
Mark Merchant (left) and George Vafiades
One thing they’ll lose in the move is the 12-story staircase that’s a brutal part of the workout (20 minutes is typically spent dashing up and down those stairs). Merchant and Vafiades have devised savvy cardio stand-ins for the stairs including Jacobs Ladders and StepMills.
The new space will enable them to double their class offerings. In addition to the signature 75-minute performance class (it’s so hard the creators only allow you to do it twice a week), they’ll have 45-minute functional cardio ones.
This will position As One as a one-stop fitness destination and these two charismatic trainers as your fitness dream team.
They’re also eye-ing downtown for a second space, so soon As One could become As Two.
As One Fitness, 1845 Broadway, btwn 60th and 61st Sts., 3rd Floor, www.As1effect.com, $25-$35 per class, depending on package purchased
George & Mark are absolutely amazing at what they do and As 1 is one of my favorite studios in the city – I can’t wait to go checkout their new space!
[...] One is expanding in NYC, which is awesome because these guys really know their stuff. Next stop, global [...]
[...] humbling strength-training workout, will lose the staircase runs and add a killer cardio class at its new, larger studio, open this week. It’s also eyeing a second, downtown location.Mobile om. YogaWorks launched its first yoga [...]
[...] at a glance, are the big-deal city openings and announcements we reported in March. GOOD SWEATAs One boot camp moved to a bigger location and is looking for another downtown. Exceed Fitness debuted its jungle gym-style boutique fitness [...]
[...] As One is known for its hard-core fitness challenges, like Roman Legionnaire weekends. Now, the brand is hosting a Mount Everest climb, where participants will climb 29,035 feet (the height of the mountain) on Step Mills and Jacobs Ladders, for charity. [...]
[...] One Columbus Circle A team-building, two-hour Load class (kettlebells and sandbags!) at this popular indoor boot camp starts at 9 a.m. [...]
[...] One Columbus Circle A team-building, two-hour Load class (kettlebells and sandbags!) at this popular indoor boot camp starts at 9 a.m. [...]
[...] And New Yorkers are so into these soiled outside hurdles in ubiquitous that aptness studios, like As One, now offer targeted training programs for clients to prep for [...]